1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an apparatus, device and methods for anchoring equipment being transported in land or water vehicles. More specifically, the invention allows the transport of sporting and hunting goods or other elongated equipment that needs to be transported without damage to the equipment or the vehicle that transports it. The device also allows for the safe transport of large coiled objects. A pair of the devices may be attached to opposite ends of a vehicle rail and then the two ends of an elongated item are attached to each of the devices for safe transportation in the vehicle.
2. Background of the Prior Art
A major use of the device of the present invention is for transporting sporting or hunting equipment from place to place in a safe and efficient manner. Many such devices are sold in catalogs that aim their products to those involved in hunting and fishing. Companies that advertise such devices include Cabela""s(copyright), who sells equipment to hunting, fishing, boating and outdoor sporting goods enthusiasts. A specific example of an advertised device that serves a similar purpose of the instant device is the xe2x80x9cPack Racks(trademark)xe2x80x9d, advertised in the Cabela""s Archery Catalog 2001. As stated therein, the Pack-Rack grips objects to prevent jarring by using steel forks that hold the object when a user twists the fork and locks a wing nut. The device of the present invention is structurally distinct from the Pack-Rack.
An item such as the Cabela""s Pack-Rack does not attach to the rail of a vehicle or have a surface for transported items to rest on. Objects being transported in the Pack-Rack are squeezed into a V-shaped holder.
Cabela""s web site, www.cabelas.com. This device feature rubber coated aluminum hooks that flex to custom fit the equipment it transports, and includes Velcro(copyright) straps to secure the carried object in place. The device of the instant invention does not use hooks as securing means, and does not use Velcro(copyright) but uses an elastomeric device that securely holds the transported device in place during transport. Further, the ATV Bow/gun rack is designed for attachment to an all-terrain vehicle (cycle) and not designed for use in a pick-up truck bed or boat.
Another Cabela""s device from their web site is a xe2x80x9cRackmount(trademark) xe2x80x9d that allows fishing rods to be held on the roof of a motor vehicle. The instant invention is not limited to being mounted on the roof of a land vehicle and is not limited to holding just fishing rods and reels.
Another advertised device meant to hold and transport sporting equipment is the Fentress Roof Rack, which is designed to utilize a vehicle""s luggage rack to transport rods and reels, Again, the design and capabilities of the Fentress device is patentably distinct from the instant invention.
Still another device for cargo control of sporting goods is the Keeper(copyright), sold by the Keeper Corporation on its web site www.keepercorp.com. This device serves as an anchor point for attachment of tie-downs in the bed of pickup trucks. No single anchor point can compare to the manner in which the instant device firmly fixes elongated articles while being transported.
There are many, many devices advertised on various other web sites which are literally too countless to name. Regarding patented prior art, there is a Tie-Down Anchor Assembly disclosed by Wheatley in U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,844. In this disclosure, Wheatley describes a tie-down anchor assembly attached to the side-rail of a pickup truck. Wheatley""s anchor assembly is a tie-down made for securing loads, and is not especially designed to safely carry elongated items. The bolt as described in ""644 clamps to the top of a side of a pickup truck bed rail and not straight up and down as does the securing bolt of the present invention. The anchor tie-down that protrudes from a pickup truck bed is not as secure as the fastenable carrying device that applicants describe herein.
Furthermore, the device described by Wheatley requires tools for its installation and operation. Applicants"" invention requires no additional or special tools for its attachment to a vehicle. No drilling is required for its installation.
In another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,897. Karrer describes a cargo anchoring and protection system a bed liner. In this invention, a system is devised for anchoring and protecting cargo in the entire bed of a pickup truck which includes a plurality of sections and many separate pieces of equipment. The instant invention is a relatively small and inconspicuous device which does not have to be permanently installed in a vehicle, and does not involve the entire cargo bed of a truck but is simply mounted on a pickup truck""s side rail.
The current invention describes a carrying device that attaches in a temporary manner to the inside of the rail bed of a pickup truck, automotive roof rack, the upper edge of the side of a boat (gunwale), and the like to restrain and protect cargo while being transported in the vehicle. The items being anchored and transported may be elongated articles often used in camping or sporting activities such as hunting, fishing, and archery which are valuable to their owners and are in need of protection while being transported. More specifically, typical articles that benefit from protection and restraint during transport include fishing rods, fishing rods and reels, archery bows, and construction tools and building equipment such as levels, conduit, pipe used for irrigation purposes (metal or PVC), shovels, hoes, rakes, pitch forks, post hole diggers, ladders, string trimmers, sledge hammers, pry bars and the like.
The items being anchored and transported may also be coiled items such as power cords, rope, extension cord, hose, electric wires, and plastic or copper tubing used in plumbing. Either elongated or coiled items that need to be transported securely and without damage are well-suited to the apparatus and methods of this invention.
To aid in the protection afforded elongated articles being transported, the devices of this invention are coated in a synthetic polymer plastic (such as vinyl) or rubberized paint. The device""s protective coating also protects it from rust or other degradation resulting from outdoor use. Other materials that are commonly used to protect outdoor equipment are plastisols, bituminous paint, or two-part reactive chemical coatings. The protective coating that is used not only protects the various parts of the instant invention, it also protects the finish of any item being transported by the apparatus of the invention, and the finish of the transporting vehicle""s rails.
To further the protection of the carried item, the invention provides a padded foam rubber cushion on the horizontal part of the hanging device of the instant invention that is between the bottom of the hanger and the equipment carried by the device. The padded piece is made to cover the horizontal section of the U-shaped metal piece of the hanger in which the transported item rests. The foam rubber cushion may be removed for cleaning or replacement as desired by the user.
Also attached to the bottom of the hanger is an elongated stretchable elastomeric fastening means, which is firmly fitted to the bottom of the hanger and is pulled by the user in a direction lateral to the elongated article being transported. The user will pull the fastening means from its attachment to the anchor to stretch it over the elongated item being transported. This manner of anchoring the elongated item is more secure than using a Velcro(copyright) device for anchoring, as has been used in the prior art, as well as insuring no scratching of the vehicle or the item being transported. The stretchable fastening means is another non-metal member of the hanger device of this invention, and it is also removable and replaceable as desired by the user.
The present invention allows for an easy and inexpensive solution to the difficulties common in prior art devices and to serve the needs of those who need to safely transport elongated and/or coiled items. The apparatus of the invention is sold in pairs and designed to securely hold items while being transported in a vehicle. Further details of the present invention will become clear in the drawings and detailed description that follow.